Love Inspired Historical June 2014 Bundle: Lone Star HeiressThe Lawman's Oklahoma SweetheartThe Gentleman's Bride SearchFamily on the Range

by Griggs, Winnie; Pleiter, Allie; Hale, Deborah; Nelson, Jessica

  Mitch cleared his throat. “Actually, the other reason we’re here is that Miss Feagan has some business to discuss with Adam.”

  “I see. Well, Adam is right in here.” She stepped aside as they reached the open doorway to a parlor, where a man was watching a toddler play on the floor.

  He stood as soon as he saw them.

  “Adam, Mitch brought a new friend of his round to see us,” Reggie said. “This is Ivy Feagan. Ivy, this is my husband, Adam.”

  Mr. Barr’s eyebrow went up momentarily at the introduction, and Ivy wondered if he’d recognized her last name. But he merely nodded politely. “Miss Feagan.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Barr.”

  The toddler started fussing and Reggie scooped her up. “And this little doll is our daughter, Patricia.” She gave the child an affectionate squeeze, then turned to her guests. “Patricia and I will leave you to your business with Adam. But I warn you I will be back later for that chat.”

  Reggie exited, closing the door behind her, and Ivy took a seat on the sofa while Mitch sat on a nearby chair.

  Mr. Barr glanced from her to Mitch. “May I inquire how you two are acquainted?”

  Mitch gave him the same story they’d relayed to Reggie earlier.

  Then Reggie’s husband turned to Ivy. “I assume you’re here in response to the letter I sent out on Drum Mosley’s behalf.”

  Ivy nodded. “I understand Mr. Mosley passed away yesterday.”

  Mr. Barr nodded. “He’d been quite ill for some time.” Then he eyed her curiously. “What is your relationship to Robert Feagan?”

  “He was my father.”

  “I see.”

  Mitch leaned forward. “What are Miss Feagan’s options now? Does she need to take this up with Carter?”

  Rather than answer the question, Mr. Barr asked Ivy a question of his own. “How much do you know about your father’s relationship with Drum Mosley?”

  “I didn’t even know there was a relationship. I was just a few days old when my pa died. The lady who raised me, Dovie Jacobs, couldn’t remember much, either. When your letter came, she thought on it a bit. All she could remember was that my pa was setting up a new home for us when he got word about my ma taking ill. But it all happened so long ago, she doesn’t remember much else.” Ivy leaned forward with her hands clasped together. “Do you know the story?”

  “Only what Drum shared with me.”

  “And that was?”

  Mr. Barr leaned back and rubbed his jaw. “Drum requested you bring proof that you are who you say you are. Do you have that with you?”

  “It’s back at the hotel with my things.”

  “May I ask what it consists of?”

  “I brought a letter from Nana Dovie, the midwife who delivered me. And I have my ma’s Bible that has her name in it, along with a family tree that goes back three generations.” She started to rise. “I can fetch them if you need to see them.”

  Mitch placed a restraining hand on her arm. “I don’t think that’s necessary.” He turned to Adam. “I’ll vouch for her. If she says she has them, then she does.”

  Ivy was touched by Mitch’s trust.

  Adam gave a short nod. “Then that’s good enough for me. At least as far as telling you this part of the story.”

  What did that mean?

  “Nine days ago, Drum sent word that he needed to see me. It seems that, once he knew he was nearing the end of his life, he had a crisis of conscience and wanted to make sure his affairs were in order. He wanted my advice on how to right a wrong that may or may not have been committed twenty-one years ago.”

  “Something to do with my pa?”

  “Yes.”

  Ivy felt a fluttering beneath her breastbone. She would finally learn what this was all about.

  “From what Drum told me,” Mr. Barr continued, “back in their younger days, he and your father worked together on a number of cattle drives. They became friends and decided they were tired of working for others, so they agreed to buy a parcel of land together and develop their own ranching operation.”

  “They were partners?”

  Mr. Barr nodded. “They pooled their money and bought a parcel of land just outside of Turnabout. They spent the first year just getting the land ready. Then they borrowed heavily to purchase a bull and a few dozen head of cattle to establish their herd.”

  Her father had been a cattle rancher. “Where was my ma all this time?”

  “According to Drum, your mother stayed in Nettles Gap. She had a delicate constitution and your father didn’t want to bring her here until he’d built a proper house for her. He and Drum had just about put everything else in motion when he learned she was expecting. So he and your mother decided to wait a little longer so she could be with folks she knew and felt comfortable with until the child was born.”

  Ivy found this story fascinating—she hadn’t heard any of it before now. The puzzle was finally starting to make sense.

  Mr. Barr looked at her with a kindness she hadn’t expected from a near stranger. “Do you know the circumstances around your parents’ passing?”

  “Nana Dovie told me I came too early and that my ma died in childbirth. Not long after, my pa died of grief.”

  When she was younger she’d thought dying of grief was romantic. Later, she’d wondered why her pa hadn’t decided to stick around for her sake—didn’t he love her, too? And come to think of it, how did one die of grief, anyway?

  She suddenly became aware of Mitch’s strong presence beside her, quietly supportive as she absorbed this new information about her parents. She gave him a quick smile, then turned back to Mr. Barr. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer to her next question, but it had to be asked. “What was Mr. Mosley’s version of my pa’s story?”

  He shifted slightly, but nodded. “Something similar. After your father buried your mother, he returned here and threw himself into his work. Drum said that all he could get out of him was that your mother had passed and that the baby wasn’t expected to live.”

  She winced at that. “Nana Dovie did say it was touch and go for a while as to whether I would live.” But why hadn’t her father stuck around to find out?

  “At any rate, your father died a few days later when he fell from his horse.”

  It wasn’t grief, then. Or maybe it was grief that made him careless. She supposed she’d never know. “So what does all this mean?”

  “As for the particulars of Drum’s will, that should wait until I have both you and Carter together. I had planned to speak to him after the funeral tomorrow. Perhaps you should come as well so we can attend to the matter properly.”

  “We’ll be there,” Mitch said before Ivy could answer.

  He was being high-handed again, but in this particular case, she couldn’t say she minded. She nodded. “I’d like to pay my respects.” After all, even though she’d never met him, Drum Mosley had given her a glimpse into who her parents had been.

  Mitch spoke up again. “What else can you tell Miss Feagan about her prospects?”

  Mr. Barr turned to speak to her directly, which she appreciated. “I can tell you your father and Drum had a formal partnership agreement, which stated that if either of them died without a direct heir, then their share of the property would go to the other partner. As far as Drum knew, your father had no direct heir remaining, so he assumed ownership of the entire ranch. And no one came forward to challenge his claim.”

  Did that mean she did own some land? “What made Mr. Mosley decide to check his facts now?”

  “I think he always wondered in the back of his mind if Robert’s child had really passed away. But he ignored those niggling doubts and continued to build on, and profit from, the ranch.” He rubbed his chin. “Then, as I said, facing his own mortality forced him to reevaluate.”

  Mitch leaned forward. “Does Carter know about this?”

  “When last we spoke, Drum instructed me that no one, including Carter, was to know ab
out this unless an heir stepped forward. So unless he changed his mind, I’d say no.”

  Before she or Mitch could ask anything further, Mr. Barr leaned back. “Now, I’d prefer to defer the rest of this discussion until we meet with Carter tomorrow.”

  Ivy nodded. “Of course. And I appreciate you taking the time to tell me this much.”

  As if she’d been waiting for her cue, Reggie reentered the parlor with a now smiling and cooing toddler. She hefted the child on her hip. “I’ve waited long enough. Surely your business is complete by now.”

  Mr. Barr stepped forward and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. “So impatient. But yes, we’re done.”

  “Well, then, Mrs. Peavy tells me supper is ready.” She turned to Ivy and Mitch. “And I insist you join us.”

  “That’s mighty kind, ma’am, but I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Ivy said.

  “First of all, I’ll have none of this ‘ma’am’ fustiness—it’s Reggie. And second, there’s more than enough for two guests, and it will give me a chance to visit with you properly. Besides, I want you to meet our son, Jack, as well as Mrs. Peavy and her husband, Ira, who live here, as well.”

  Mitch spoke up before she could refuse again. “Thank you, we accept.”

  Reggie smiled. “That’s better.” She handed the toddler over to her husband and linked her arm through Ivy’s. “Now, I want to hear all about how you and Mitch met.”

  Ivy sent a quick glance Mitch’s way, unsure how to reply to that. He immediately came to her rescue.

  “When Miss Feagan fell, I got to play white knight to her damsel in distress.”

  “A white knight, was it?” Reggie grinned. “I always thought there was hero material inside you—you just needed the right circumstances to bring it out.” She cut a quick glance Ivy’s way. “Or the right person.”

  Ivy’s cheeks warmed at that and she quickly turned the conversation in a different direction. “Mr. Parker tells me you’re a photographer. That sounds like an interesting skill to have.”

  Reggie accepted her change of subject. “I enjoy it. Stop by my studio while you’re here and I’ll show you some of my work.” Then she tilted her head. “Speaking of which, how long are you planning to be in town?”

  “I’m not sure. It depends on how long it takes to settle this business with Mr. Mosley.”

  “Well, we’ll do our best to make certain you want to stay for a nice long visit.”

  “Thank you, but I left Nana Dovie—that’s the woman who raised me—on her own and I don’t like to be gone for too long.”

  Reggie patted her arm. “In that case, I suppose we’ll have to wish for a speedy and happy conclusion to your business here.”

  As Ivy thanked her again, she cast a quick look at Mitch, the man who’d stood by her ever since he’d first stumbled upon her, and had helped her in more ways than she could count.

  Would he miss her when she left?

  Because she had a feeling she would definitely miss him.

  *

  As Mitch walked Ivy back to the hotel, he saw the lamplighter starting his rounds on Second Street. It was hard to believe they’d left the cabin only this morning.

  “The Barrs seem like real nice people,” Ivy said.

  “They are.”

  She paused for a moment, then added, “Like you.”

  She thought he was nice? He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. So he changed the subject. “How are you feeling about all of these new details you’re learning about your parents?” She’d been uncharacteristically silent on the subject.

  “It was unexpected, of course. But after thinking on it a bit I find it fills in a lot of gaps for me. I just wish I would’ve made it here before Mr. Mosley passed on. It would have been really nice to speak to someone who knew my pa so well.”

  So she was more focused on her father than on the legacy he’d left her. The way her mind worked never ceased to surprise him.

  “I appreciate all you’ve done to help me,” she continued, “but I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep going out of your way on my behalf. There’s no need for you to go out to Mr. Mosley’s ranch tomorrow if you want to head back to the cabin and finish your vacation.”

  Was she tired of his company? He found himself strangely reluctant to step away. “You don’t think I’m going to come this far and not be there when the end plays out, do you?”

  “Well, if you’re sure it’s something you want to do…”

  “It is.”

  A yawn escaped her as they arrived at the hotel. She gave him a sheepish look. “I’m sorry. I—”

  “No need to apologize. You’ve had an eventful day. A good night’s sleep will do you a world of good.” He escorted her just inside the lobby. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Thanks again for taking care of Rufus.”

  “All I did was pen him up in my yard.”

  She rolled her eyes at him, then turned serious. With a vulnerable smile that tugged at all his protective instincts, she placed a hand on his sleeve. “In case I haven’t said it enough, I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done for me these past few days. And I don’t just mean tending to my injury.” She waved her free hand. “I didn’t realize just how unprepared I was. You’ve made this whole situation unbelievably easier for me.”

  Then, as if embarrassed by her own seriousness, she dropped her hand and gave him a tongue-in-cheek smile. “I guess there are some benefits to your being such a fusspot, after all.”

  And with that she turned and moved quickly to the stairs.

  Mitch walked the three blocks to his house down quiet, dusk-shadowed streets, a smile tugging at his lips. He still wasn’t sure what to make of this teasing affection she treated him with. No one had dared do that since he and his sisters were in the schoolroom.

  Then he sobered. They’d managed to avoid any sort of gossip, salacious or otherwise. But the real test would come tomorrow, once word of his return and the new visitor to town got around.

  He turned into his yard, bending down to absently scratch an enthusiastic Rufus behind the ears.

  Would they really be able to pull this off and remain unscathed by gossip?

  And if not, what would he do about it?

  *

  Ivy settled into bed, exhausted.

  Last night she’d been at the cabin, with Mitch out on the porch. He was so thoughtful, so uncomplaining.

  Of course, he probably would have done the same for any female in her situation. Still, it had made her feel special. Which could be dangerous, given that she’d be returning to Nettles Gap soon.

  She rolled over, wondering what tomorrow would bring. Hard to believe her father had been a landowner all those years ago, but if Mr. Mosley had been willing to acknowledge it then it must be true. Were her money woes truly over?

  She stared at the ceiling. Better not to count on that just yet, though. If Mr. Barr was right, Mr. Mosley’s nephew didn’t know about her or her claim yet. The poor man had just lost his uncle—how would he react to her claim?

  Whatever happened, she was glad she’d be facing it with Mitch at her side.

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning Drum’s funeral was held on the ranch at the Mosley family cemetery. Once it was over and the attendees had offered their condolences to Carter, folks began drifting back to their carriages and wagons, leaving the gravediggers to complete their job.

  Adam and Reggie were among the last to speak to Carter, and afterward Adam gave Mitch a subtle signal that they should proceed to Carter’s house. Then Adam handed Reggie up into their carriage to send her back to town on her own before climbing into the carriage Mitch had rented from the livery.

  Mitch eased the carriage into the procession slowly exiting the cemetery, but rather than turning onto the road to town, he followed Adam’s directions and took the fork that led to the ranch house.

  Ivy looked around. “How big is this place?”

  “Around fi
fteen hundred acres, I believe,” Adam said.

  “Mercy me! I can’t believe my pa owned part of this.”

  Mitch wondered if it had sunk in yet that soon, she would, too.

  When they pulled up in front of the house, Carter was waiting on them. “You said we needed to talk about the estate,” he said distractedly. “Can we make this quick?”

  Adam took the lead. “We’ll do our best. But first, let me offer my condolences once again on the loss of your uncle.”

  Carter nodded acceptance. “Thank you.”

  “I believe you already know Mitchell Parker.”

  Carter gave a short nod. “The schoolteacher, right?”

  Mitch returned his nod, not sure he liked the man’s impatient tone. “That’s correct.” He drew Ivy forward. “And this is Miss Ivy Feagan.”

  Carter touched the brim of his hat in acknowledgment. “Miss Feagan,” he said, looking slightly puzzled.

  It was clear to Mitch that Carter didn’t recognize Ivy’s last name, which meant Carter didn’t know about Drum’s plans. How would he react when he heard the story?

  Carter had already turned back to Adam. “I assume you need to talk to me about Drum’s estate.” He gave Adam a puzzled look. “Though I’m not sure why. I’ve seen Drum’s will and it looks pretty straightforward to me.”

  Adam indicated the folder of papers he held. “There’s been a change. Drum called me out here a little over a week ago and asked me to revise his will.”

  That definitely sharpened Carter’s attention. “Revise it how?”

  “For one, he named me executor.” Adam nodded toward the house. “It might be best if we go inside to discuss this.”

  Carter nodded, then paused. “Not to be rude, but why are these two with you?”

  Mitch stiffened and touched Ivy’s arm protectively.

  But Adam’s expression never changed. “Miss Feagan is here at my invitation because this affects her, too. And Mitch is here as her friend and adviser.”

  Her friend and adviser—Mitch liked that.

  Carter’s frown deepened and he gave Ivy a speculative look. But a moment later he turned without comment and led them into the house. They walked through a short hallway and entered a room that appeared to be an office.